Washington Parish St. Jude Turkey Trot

Washington Parish St. Jude Turkey Trot takes place in Bogalusa, Louisiana, on November 21, 2026. It is a single 5K (3.1 miles) starting at 8:00 a.m., a Thanksgiving-season run whose name points to St. Jude as the cause it supports.

Charity turkey trots draw everyone from competitive runners to families walking together, so the start area is usually relaxed and the pace spread is wide. If it is your first 5K, six weeks of three short runs a week, with one gradually stretched to half an hour, will get you to the finish without walking. If you already race regularly, a small-town 5K is a good place to try a negative split: run the first mile slightly conservatively, then pick up the pace each subsequent mile. Line up near the front if you are racing and toward the back if you are walking, so everyone gets a clean start. With an 8:00 a.m. start, keep breakfast light and give yourself ten minutes to warm up.